102 RIVER DUCKS. 



the feathers with internal rings or loops and sometimes borders of pale oohra- 

 ceous butty ; speculum as in the preoctlinjir ; breiist and belly oehraceous bufly, 

 mottled with dusky grayish brown. L., 28-00; \V., 11-00; Tar., 1-75; B., 2-Jo. 



Baniie. — Nortliern piirts of the northern hemispliere ; in America breeds 

 in the interior from Indiana and Iowa, and on the Atlantic coast rai-ely south 

 of Labrador, northward to the arctic regions; winters from southern Kansas 

 and Delaware southward to Central America and the island of Granada. 



Washington, common W. V. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Sept to Apl. 

 Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct., Mch. 



£ggs, six to ton, pale greenish or bluish white, 2-30 x 1-70. 



The Mallard is far more common in the interior than on the coasts. 

 Its loud, sonorous quack is not distinguishable from that of its domes- 

 ticated descendants. 



133. Anas obscura Gmel. Black Di-ok; Duskt Dick. Ad.— 

 Top of the head rich fuscous, slightly streaked with pale buffy ; sides of the 

 head and throat pale buB'y , thickly streaked with blackish ; rest of under parts 

 fuscous brown, the feathei-s all bordered by ochraceous-buff; back slightly 

 darker and narrowly moi'gined with butfy ; speculum rich purple, bordered 

 by black. L., 2-200; W., 11-00; Tar., l-7o; B., i-iO. 



Remarks. — Always to be distinguished from the Mallard by the lack of 

 white in the wing. 



Eange. — North America; breeds from Illinois and Mew Jersey to Hudson 

 Bay and Labrador; winters southward to the Greater Antilles. 



'Washington, common W. V. Long Island, abundant W, V,, Sept to May; 

 a few breed. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. K., Mch. 6 to Nov. 13. Cam- 

 bridge, very common T. 'S\, Mch. and Apl ; late Aug. to Nov. ; a few breed. 



Eggs., eight to twelve, pale greenish or bluish white, or creamy buff, 

 2-48 X 1-75. 



This species resembles the Mallard in general habits, and the voices 

 of the two are indistinguishable. The Black Duck, however, is com- 

 moner near the seacoasts, and when molested will sometimes pass the 

 day at sea, returning at night to feed in the marshes and ponds near 

 the shore. 



134. Anas flll-Tigala Ridgir. FLOsroA Puck. AJ. — Top of head 



streaked with black and buffy ; sides of the head and entire tliroat butty, 

 leithout streals ; rest of under parts rich butfy ocliraceous, widely streaked 

 with black ; back black, the feathers broadly margined and sometimes inter- 

 nally striped with ochraceous-buff; speculum rich purple bordered by black ; 

 bill olive-yellow, its nail black. L., 20-00 ; W., 10-50 ; Tar,, 1-65 ; B., 2-05. 



Remark. — Easily distinguished from A. obscura by the absence of streaks 

 on the throat. 



Range. — Florida and Gulf coast to Louisiana. 



£ggs, eight to ten, pale dull buff or pale grayish buff, 2-15 x 1-61 (Ridgw.V 



This is a common resident species in Florida. Its habits and voiop 

 are practically the same as those of the Black Duck. 



